Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1532761
M A R C H 2 0 2 5 4 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / P L A Y E R B I O S / / / / / / / A few years ago, Bekkem Kritza looked like he could be the next big thing. As a freshman at Fairview High just outside of Boulder, Colo., he lit up the competition in his first year as a starter. Kritza threw for 3,192 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2021, earning offensive player of the year honors in his league. Scholarship offers rolled in, starting with his first from nearby Colorado in November 2021. The following year, Kritza moved from Boulder to Southern California, enrolling at Santa Margarita Catholic. The change did not pay off; he played in only five games in 2022. Kritza moved again before his junior season, this time to South Florida, where he planned to suit up for Miami Central. That did not go to plan, either, and Kritza found himself back at Fairview in Colorado for the second half of his junior year. He once again saw success where it all began, throwing for 20 touchdowns in a truncated season, but he still wasn't done moving. Kritza returned to Miami Central for his senior year, but he was replaced as the starter a few games into the season and transferred to Chaminade-Madonna Prep in Hol- lywood, Fla., to close out his high school career. For those keeping track at home, that's six stops at four schools in four years — not exactly the kind of stable environment that allows high school prospects to flourish. Along the way, Kritza rose and fell on recruiting boards. Penn State offered in March 2023 and had him at camp that summer. The Nittany Lions were intrigued by the toolbox that the wiry quarterback brought with him. Buzz- words like arm talent and upside were part of every evaluation, even with the potential baggage out there in the open. Kritza committed to Penn State in November 2023, coincidentally on the day the Nittany Lions parted ways with offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich. The quarterback quickly became one of the most vocal members of PSU's 2025 class. At 6-foot-5, 195 pounds, Kritza is a fascinating evaluation. On one hand, he either failed to win or outright lost starting jobs in high school. However, Penn State sees him as one of the more talented passers in the country. Kritza is a project at the game's most important position, and he knows it. "I feel like out of 100 percent, I'm at 20 percent right now," he said. "I feel like I've got the big- gest potential out of anybody in the country right now. My body hasn't filled out yet, and I haven't played a lot of in-game reps. I feel like it's nothing but up from here." — Sean Fitz Kritza is seeking stability at Penn State after making six stops at four high schools during his prep career. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER BEKKEM KRITZA Nittany Lions intrigued by potential of well-traveled quarterback QB | 6-5 | 195 Chaminade-Madonna Prep (Fla.) Chandler, Ariz. Rankings Stars Nat. Pos. State On3 Industry ★★★ 737 50 90 On3 ★★★ — 66 97 247Sports ★★★ — 57 114 ESPN ★★★ — 40 120 Rivals ★★★ — 31 92 Statistics • Threw for 885 yards and 14 touchdowns in six games as a senior • Passed for 1,747 yards and 20 touchdowns as a junior • Threw for 3,192 yards and 22 touchdowns his freshman year Notable • Named the Colorado Prep Report's 5A North Offensive Player of the Year as a freshman • Had high school stops in Colorado, Califor- nia and Florida during his career • Enrolled at Penn State in January Recruitment • Picked Penn State over Colorado, Miami and Texas A&M • Recruited by Penn State quarterbacks coach Danny O'Brien • Committed to Penn State on Nov. 12, 2023 • Took his official visit June 14, 2024 2025 Projection There are raw prospects, and then there's Bekkem Kritza. Both sides know that Kritza has a long way to go, and his high school backstory hasn't aided his development. He has natural gifts that a lot of quarterback prospects do not, but Kritza will need a few years to marinate before he's ready to start at this level. They Said It Penn State director of player personnel Kenny Sanders: "I think that kid is unbeliev- able. When you look at what he can do with the football, with not a ton of training, he doesn't have a QB trainer or anything like that. I think I told somebody once that he might have the best raw arm talent I've ever seen coming out of high school. Just throwing off- platform. He is such an unpolished gem, in my opinion. I could probably spend an hour just talking about what I think Bekkem Kritza is going to be once he gets here. For me, he's going to be someone that really thrives in the structure that we're going to provide." T H E K R I T Z A F I L E